Happy birthday to Oprah!

Just Say Hello!

Try something new this year and check out the Just Say Hello Campaign on Oprah’s website. The campaign (find it at www.oprah.com) encourages kindness and strives to combat loneliness by reading our and connecting. A howdy-do to a stranger might make your day and a new pal in the process. I read about this excellent friendliness project in Oprah’s O Magazine a few Sundays ago and immediately felt inspired to try it that day. My boyfriend and I went to do our weekend chores, which include fresh flowers from our neighborhood stand. An older gentleman was standing there smelling the roses, always a good idea in my mind. I remembered to say “Hi” as instructed by Oprah and he responded with a big smile and wanted my input on flowers he wanted to buy for a lady friend.  As you might imagine, quite a conversation ensued and my boyfriend joined in, who is even friendlier than I am. Soon the florist was involved and our new gentleman friend turned out to be a fascinating conversationalist. He had been a fighter pilot in the Korean War, very highly decorated and has travelled all over the world before returning back home to El Cerrito. Widowed some years back, he was only beginning to get back out there and date. After landing upon a carefully selected bouquet of red roses and pink lilies, he headed off to the dance at the senior center. I noticed he has a good bit of pep in his step and I remember having a good feeling about his first date. We kept our eyes peeled for Colonel Jarvis when in the vicinity of the flower shop and sure enough we saw him and he had pictures of his lady friend from the dance featuring a corsage he had gotten for her. 

Give, give, give, give it away!

January 23- Give Away Your Old Stuff

I said it before and I’ll say it again.  We all have too much stuff.  Do a favor for people in need and give away some of the things you no longer need or use or wear.  Others would be happy to have it and it will help you simplify your life and enjoy your time more.  Find a few locations that you can drop off your stuff or call an organization that collects your goods to redistribute to those in need. There are Goodwill’s or Salvation Amy centers in every town, large or small so you can donate there to help others and quickly.

How are you serving the greater good?

January 20 – Martin Luther King Day of Service

“Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’ ” - Martin Luther King, Jr.

I am very happy to see that, thanks to Selma, a new generation of young people and moviegoers are learning about the man who stood among his brothers like Bayard Rustin and John Lewis to fight for the rights of their people and other minorities.  Find a project in your community or register your own project through http://mlkday.gov/ It has occurred to me that many presidents share the legal holiday in February but there is only one day for the courageous Dr. King.

Stop Interrupting Others When They Are Speaking

We have become a nation of interrupters as though what we have to say is more important than anyone else’s opinion or thoughts. Think before you speak.  If a friend is confiding in you and seeks advice, think about how what they have said makes you feel and consider how your words can truly help them. Many people interrupt or relate the problem back to themselves instead of thoughtfully responding to the person who is confiding in them. Reflect on what you have heard and then reply. This is not only basic politeness but also means a lot to the person to whom you are listening. I guarantee you will start to notice when you are interrupted once you have stopped. Listening is an act of love

Lean the Language of Kindness

Learn a new language. Or become more fluent in your less dominant language if you are already bilingual. The more people you can communicate with, the more valuable you are to working opportunities as well as opening yourself up to new people and cultures.  A friend of mine recently took a volunteer vacation where he taught English to orphans and abandoned children in Cambodia. He said he enjoyed every minute and wants to do this every year, as he loved working with the kids. As he told me this story, his smile was at least a mile wide!

Think With Your Heart

Shortly after retirement, this very thoughtful Seattleite, Leon Delong, wanted to utilize his new spare time and decided to do something meaningful. When he heard that city office towers were routinely throwing away half-used rolls of “tp,” he started gathering them and delivering them to a local food bank, where they were given to the homeless and those in financial need. Over the last 15 years, the 76-year old gave the poor over ONE million rolls of toilet paper. “I’m amazed how much this mattered to people,” Delong said. “To me it was just a nice thing to do. Now, it’s my claim to fame.” 

What is YOUR claim to fame?

No Strings Attached

Write down the things that someone has given you, no strings attached, for which you are grateful. It can be an old sofa, some sound advice, or a lift to the airport. Now list ten things that you would like to give someone yourself, and see how many of those things you can cross off in a week.

Examples:

Drive a friend to the airport

Carry groceries for the mom with two toddlers to their car

Baby-sit for a relative

Buy a friend a cup of coffee
Weed your busy neighbor's yard
Take out the garbage for the 95 year-old next door
Check in on a widow(er) who doubtless feels alone on the holidays
Volunteer at a soup kitchen
Take the book you just read and loved to a retirement home and donate it
Even better, offer to read your beloved book to someone there.